Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Peru
Peru: Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female was 12.5% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Peru, 1991–2023
Source: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) - UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children under 5.
Analysis
Peru recorded 12.5% for malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 32.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Peru peaked at 40.0% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 12.1%, in 2020.
Peru ranks 63rd of 83 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Peru, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 39.1% | — |
| 1996 | 32.9% | -15.9% |
| 1997 | 40.0% | +21.6% |
| 1998 | 34.3% | -14.3% |
| 1999 | 36.9% | +7.6% |
| 2000 | 32.5% | -11.9% |
| 2001 | 39.9% | +22.8% |
| 2005 | 32.7% | -18.0% |
| 2007 | 29.9% | -8.6% |
| 2009 | 24.8% | -17.1% |
| 2010 | 25.1% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 20.1% | -19.9% |
| 2012 | 18.8% | -6.5% |
| 2013 | 18.5% | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 15.9% | -14.1% |
| 2015 | 15.6% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 13.9% | -10.9% |
| 2017 | 13.8% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 12.4% | -10.1% |
| 2019 | 14.4% | +16.1% |
| 2020 | 12.1% | -16.0% |
| 2021 | 12.5% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 12.7% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 12.5% | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 36.6% | 32.9% | 40.0% | 5 |
| 2000s | 32.0% | 24.8% | 39.9% | 5 |
| 2010s | 16.9% | 12.4% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.4% | 12.1% | 12.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Peru
More gender data for Peru
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 7,988 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.3909 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 261,493 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 271,554 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 262,030 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 271,974 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 262,425 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 272,367 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 263,360 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 273,303 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Peru?
- Malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Peru was 12.5% in 2023, according to Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) - UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female recorded in Peru?
- The highest recorded value was 40.0% in 1997.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female recorded in Peru?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.1% in 2020.
- How does Peru rank for malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female?
- Peru ranks 63rd out of 83 countries with data for 2023.
- Is malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female rising or falling in Peru?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Peru data come from?
- The figures come from Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) - UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children younger than 5 years, male versus female, that fall below two standard deviations from the median height-for-age of the WHO Child Growth Standards.